Water-tube boiler.



No. 657,837. Patented Sept. 1|, I900.

J. M. SEARLE.

WATER TUBE BOILER.

(Application filed Oct. 31, 1899.)

(N0 Mode l.) 5 Sheets-Shee I.

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Patented Sept. ll, I900.

J. M. SEARLE.

WATER TUBE BOILER.

(Application filed Oct. 31, 1899.)

5 Sheets-Sheet 2.

(No Model.)

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No. 657,837. Patented Sept. I900. .1. m. SEARLE.

WATER TUBE BOILER.

(Application filed Oct. 81, 1899.)

(No Model.) 5 Shaets8heet 3,

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No. 657,837. Patented Sept. H, I900. J. M. SEARLE.

WATER TUBE BOILER.

(Application filed Oct. 31, 1899.) (N0 MMIGL) 5 ShaetsSheet 4.

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No. 657,837. I Patented Sept. ll, I900. J. M. SEARLE.

WATER TUBE BOILER.

(Application filed Oct. 31, 1899.) (No Model.) 5 Sheets-Sheei 5.

UNrrED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

JOSEPH M. SEARLE, OF PITTSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA.

WATER-TUBE BOILER.

SPECIFICATION formingpart of Letters Patent No. 657,837, dated'September 1 1, 1900.

Application filed October 31, 1899. S rial No. 735,402. .110 model.)

To all whom, it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOSEPH M. SEARLE, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Pittsburg, Pennsylvania, have invented certain Improvements in Water-Tube Boilers, of which the following is a specification.

The objects of my invention are to so construct a water-tube boiler as to providea large heating-surface in proportion to the size of the structure and to render said structure very elastic under variations of temperature, to insure the effective circulation of the water in the boiler and of the products of combustion in contact with the heating-surfaces of the boiler, to permit ready access to and repair of all of the different parts of the boiler and the ready fitting together or taking apart of the boiler elements, to so restrict the size of the separate elements that they can be readily handled and transported, and to provide for the superheating of the steam and the heating of the feed-water. These objects I attain in the manner hereinafter set forth, reference being bad to the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure l is a front View of a boiler structure made in accordance with my invention. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section of the same.

Fig. 3 is a transverse section on the line cta, Fig. 1. Fig. at is a transverse section on the line b b, Fig. 1; and Fig. 5 is a longitudinal section of another form of boiler embodying my invention. Figs. 2 and 5 are on a somewhat smaller scale than Figs. 1, 3, and 4.

Referring first to Figs. 1 to 4, it will be observed that the boiler comprises a central drum 1, a pair of steam-drums 2, and a pair of mud-drums 3, the said steam-drums and mud-drums occupyinga relation to each other which may be roughly stated as being at the four corners of a quadrangle, of which the drum 1 occupies the center, the steam-dru ms 2 being at the upper corners of the quadrangle and the mud-drums 3 at the lower corners of the same. Between the steam-drum 2 and the mud-drum 3 at each side of the boiler are interposed a series of upper and lower hollow segmental headers, the upper headers being numbered at and the lower headers 5,while between the two steam-dru ms is interposed a series of hollow segmental top headers 6. The upper headers 4t communicate with the water-spaces of the steamdrums through nipples '7, suitably secured to the shells of the drums and headers, the top headers 6 likewise communicating with the water-spaces of the steam -drums through similar nipples 8 and the mud-drums communicating with the lower headers 5 through like nipples 9, as shown in Figs. 3 and at. The various headers are connected to the central drum 1 by means of radiating tubes 10, arranged as closely t )gether as desired, and thetubes communicating with each header may be parallel tubes, as shown in Fig. 2, in which case the headers are of zigzag form, or the tubes of each header may be inclined in respect to each other, in which case the headers may be straight, as shown in Fig. 5.

The water-space of each of the steamdrums 2 is connected to the corresponding mud-drum 3 by means of a circulating-pipe 11 at the rear end of the boiler structure, and the water-space of each steam-drum com in unicates with the lower portion of the central drum 1 at the front end of the same through a circulating-pipe 12, each of these pipes discharging into the drum 1 through a short pipe or nozzle 13, whereby the water flow is directed onto and rearwardly along the bottom of said drum 1 at a point immediately above the fireplace, where said drum is subjected to the most intense heat and where the accumulation of scale is most to be prevented.

It will be observed on reference to Fig. 3 that all of the tubes 10 which communicate with the drum 1 below the center of the same are inclined upwardly toward said drum, while all of tubes 10 which communicate with the drum above the center of the same are inclined upwardly away from the drum, the tubes of the lower half of the drum communicating with the lower side headers 5 and the tubes of the upper half of the drum communicating with the upper side headers 4E and top headers 6. Hence constant circulation of the water from the lower headers 5 inwardly and upwardly into the central drum 1, through said drum and upwardly and out wardly into the upper and top headers, is maintained, thus, in combination with the circulating-tubes l1 and 12, insuring rapid tures 29 in the top of each pipe 28.

flow of Water through the boiler, and consequently utilizing to the fullest extent the large heating-surface presented by the boiler.

The space within the external walls or settings 14 of the boiler is divided by transverse partitions 15 into ascending and descending flues, of which three are shown in the drawings, the front flue being an ascending flue communicating at its lower end with the fireplace, the central flue being adeseending flue, which receives the products of combustion from the front ascending flue at the top, and the rear flue being an ascending flue, which receives the products of combus-- tion from the central fine at the bottom through an arch l6 and discharges them at the top into the stack 17, whereby all of the heating-surfaces of the boiler are of necessity brought into contact with the products of combustion at some time in the passage of the latter from the fireplace to the stack. It will be evident that by increasing the number of transverse partitions 15 the number of ascending and descending flues may be correspondingly increased, as desired.

The fireplace has a water-tube grate 1S and is divided into two portions by aecntral vertical row of tubes 19, which extend from the forward portion of the central drum 1 to] a manifold 20, located centrally in the ash-pit, said manifold having an upturned front'end which communicates with a transverse manifold 21, the latter receiving the front ends of the tubes 18 of the grate, which communicate at their rear ends with a manifold 22, through which the feed-water is supplied. Hence before reaching the central drum 1 and beginning its circulation through the boiler the feed-water passes through the tubes of the grate and then upwardly throughthe partition-tubes 19, whereby a high degree of heat is imparted to it before it reaches the drum 1. While I prefer to use this form of grate and this method of introducing the feed-water, other forms of grate may be employed, if desired.

The top headers 6 are separated from each other, as shown in Figs. 2 and 5, so as to permit of the free passage of the products of combustion between them; but the upper and lower side headers 4 and 5 have flanges 23, as also shown in Figs. 2 and 5, so as to confine the products of combustion to the tube-spaces of the boiler and prevent any lateral or downward dissipation of the same.

The space between the steam-drums 2, the top headers 6, and the top portion 24 of the boiler-setting provides for the use of superheating-tubes 25, which are preferably bent tubes communicating at their rear ends with manifolds 26 and 27, the manifold 26 communicating with steam-intake pipes 28, which are located in the steam-spaces of the drums 2 and receive steam from the upper portions of said steam-spaces through slots or aper- Only the driest steam is thus withdrawn from the drums 2, and this steam after being superheated in the pipes 25 is delivered into the manifold 27, from which it is conveyed to the point at which it is to be used.

Between the upper runs of the superheating-tubes 25 and the top portions 24 of the boiler-setting is interposed a coiled feed-water-heating pipe 3o, the delivery end of which may communicate through the manifold 22 in any desired manneras, for instance, through a side pipe 31, such as shown in Fig. 1or if the water-tube grate is not used the feed-water may be conducted to any other de sired point of inlet to the boiler.

The tubes 10 are all less in length than the internal diameter of the central drum .l, so that when a tube becomes defective it may after being cut off be readily drawn into said central drum and a new tube can be inserted in its place from said central drum.

The individual elements of my improved boiler are of small size, considering the power and capacity of the boiler, so'that they may be readily handled and transported from place to place. The main advantages of my improved boiler, however, are its compactness, its great elasticity under varying degrees of t-emperature,and the greatamountof heatingsurface presented, whereby the power of the boiler is exceptionally high in proportion to its size, and leakyjoints, due to unevenness of expansion and contraction of different parts of the boiler, are prevented.

It will be observed that in my improved boiler the fireplace is parallel with the drums, so that the latter are accessible from the front end of the boiler, and the boiler is also fired from the front, so that a series of boilers can be placed closely side by side, there being no necessity forthe provision of spaces between adjoining boilers, as is necessary when the fireplace is at right angles to the central drum of the boiler. The provision of superheatingpipes permits of the carrying of a high water-level in the boiler, and hence permits of the rapid circulation for which the boiler is designed without risk of the water being withdrawn from any of the heating-surfaces which are subjected to high temperature, thus preventing the burning of any of the parts of the boiler.

While I prefer in all cases to employ the mud-drums 3 both for circulating purposes and for facilitating the cleaning of the boiler, they may be dispensed with if a single hollow segmental structure is employed in place of each of the lower side headers 5, and a single steam-drum 2, having suitable pipe connections with the upper side and top headers, may replace the two steam-drums without departing from the essential feature of my invention, although the use of the two steamdrums is preferred, because such use permits of the carrying of the required volume of water in the boiler without unduly increasing the height of the same, this latter feature being of importance in marine boilers, espelCO cially in those intended for war-ships, where the height of the space below the protective deck is limited.

Having thus described my invention, I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent- 1. A water-tn be boiler comprising acentral drum, a hollow water-circulating structure extending transversely part way around said drum, radiating tubes connecting said central drum and water-circulating structure, and a fireplace parallel with the drum, substantially as specified.

2. A water-tube boiler comprising a central drum, a water-circulating structure extending transversely part way around the drum, radiating tubes connecting said central drum and water-circulating structure, and a fireplace parallel with the central drum and located beneath the latter and between the tubes of the opposite side portions of the outer water-circulating structure, substantially as specified.

3. A water-tube boiler comprising a central drum, hollow segmental headers having their longitudinaldimensions transverse to the axis of the drum and disposed one behind another in the direction of the length of said drum, and radiating tubes connecting said drum and headers, substantially as specified.

at. A water-tube boiler comprising a central drum, hollow segmental headers having their longitudinal dimensions transverse to the axis of the drum and disposed one behind another in the direction of the length of said drum, radiating tubes connecting said drum and headers, and a steam-drum structure coinin unicating with the upper headers, substantially as specified.

5. A water-tube boiler comprising a central drum, hollow segmental headers having their longitudinaldimensionstransverse to the axisof the drum and disposed one behind another in the direction of the length of said drum, radiating tubes connecting said drum and headers,and mud-dru ms communicating with the lower headers, substantially as specified.

6. A water-tube boiler comprising a central drum, hollow segmental headers having their longitudinal dimensions transverse to the axis of the drum and disposed one behind another in the direction of the length of said drum, radiating tubes connecting said drum and headers, in ud-drums communicating with the lower headers, and a steam-drum structure communicating with the upper headers, substantially as specified.

7. Awater-tube boiler comprising a central drum, upper and lower segmental headers having their longitudinal dimensions transverse to the axis of the drum and disposed one behind another in the direction of the length of the drum, inwardly and upwardly inclined radiating tubes connecting the lower portion of the drum with the lower headers, and outwardly and upwardly inclined radiating tubes connecting the upper portion of the drum with the upper headers, said tubes and central drum furnishing the only communication between the upper aud lower headers, substantially as specified.

8. A water-tube boiler com prising a central drum, a water-oirculating structure comprising upper and lower portions on each side of said central drum, radiating tubes connect.- ing the lower portion of the drum with the lower side structu re, and radiating tubes connecting the upper portion of the drum with the upper side structure, there being no direct communication bet een the upper and lower portions of each side structure, substantially as specified.

9. A water-tube boiler comprising a central drum, hollow segmental headers extending transversely around the same and disposed longitudinally one behind another, radiating tubes connecting said drum and headers, supplementary drums adapted to segmental seats formed upon said headers, and nipples directly connecting the casings of said drums and the segmental seats therefor upon the headers, substantially as specified.

10. A water-tube boiler comprising a central drum, upper and lower side and top segmental headers extending transversely part way around the central drum, the sets of said headers being disposed one behind another longitudinally, radiating tubes connecting sa d central drum and headers, mud-drums communicating with the lower headers, a steam-drum structure communicating with the upper headers, and a fireplace parallel With the central drum and located beneath the same, and between the tube structures and headers ot' the opposite sides of the boiler, substantially as specified.

11. A water-tube boiler comprising a central drum, hollow segmental headers extending transversely around said drum and dis posed one behind another in the direction of the length of the drum, radiating tubes connecting said drum and headers, a steam-drum structure communicating with the upper headers, and means for providing circulation between said central drum and thesteamdrum structure, substantially as specified.

12. A water-tube boiler comprising a central drum, hollow headers disposed around the same, radiating tubes connecting said drum and headers, mud-drums communicating with the lower headers, a steam-drum structure communicating with the upper headers, and means whereby a circulation is provided between the steam-drum structure and the mud-drum, substantially as specified.

13. A water-tube boiler comprising a central drum, hollow headers disposed around the same, radiating tubes connecting said drum and headers, mud-drums communicating with the lower headers, a steam-drum structure communicating with the upper headers, and means whereby a circulation is provided between the steam-drum structure and the mud-drum, and between said steamdrum structure and the central drum, substantially asspecified.

14. A water-tube boiler comprising a central drum, hollow headers disposed around the same, radiating tubes connecting said drum and headers, a steam-drum structure communicating with the upper headers, and superheating-pipes communicating with said steam-drumstructure and located in the flue space of the boiler-setting, substantially as specified.

15. A water-tube boiler comprising a central drum, hollow headers disposed around the same, radiating tubes connecting said drum and headers, a steam-drum structure communicating with the upper headers, a pipe located in the upper portion of said steamdrum structure and having an inlet for steam at the top, and superheating-pipes communicating with said steam-drum pipe and disposed in the flue-space of the boiler setting, substantially as specified.

16. A water-tube boiler comprising a central drum, hollow headers disposed around the same, radiating tubes connecting said drum and headers, a pair of laterally-separated steam-drums communicating with the upper headers, a system of superheatingpipes disposed in the flue-space between said steam-drums, manifolds connected with the ends of said superheating-pipes, one of said manifolds also communicating with receivingpipes in the steam-drums, substantially as specified. A

17. A water-tube boiler comprising a central drum, hollow headers disposed around the same, radiating tubes connecting said drum and headers, a steam-drum structure communicating with the upper headers, and a feed-water-heating pipe located in the upper portion of the flow structure of the boilersetting, substantially as specified.

18. A water-tube boiler in which are combined a central drum, upper and lower side headers and top headers disposed around said drum, and radiating tubes connecting said drum and headers the top headers being sep arated for the passage of the products of combustion between them, and the side headers being ribbed or flanged to prevent such passage, substantially as specified.

19. A water-tube boiler in which are combined a central drum, a Water-circulating structure communicating with, and partially surrounding said drum, a fireplace located beneath the drum, and parallel therewith, and a longitudinal partition in said fireplace composed of tubes communicating with said central drum at their upper ends, and with a feeding-manifold at their lower ends, substantially as specified.

20. A water-tube boiler comprising a central drum, a fireplace having vertical partition-tubes comm u nicating at their upper ends with said drum, a water-tube grate, and a manifold structure providing communication between said water-tube grate and the lower ends of the partition-tubes, substantially as specified.

21. A water-tube boiler comprising a central drum, hollow segmental headers disposed transversely around the same and one behind another in the direction of the length of the drum so as to provide spaces between the headers for the passage of the products of combustion, a fireplace parallel with the drum, and a boiler-setting having transverse partitions forming ascending and descending fines in which successive sections of said headers and connecting-tubes are disposed, substantially as specified.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

JOS. M. SEARLE.

Witnesses:

GODFREY W. LEROH, HARRY DIAMOND. 

